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An introduction to the updated FCE and CAE exams

An introduction to the updated FCE and CAE exams. from December 2008. FCE – CAE ‘New format’ 2008. Thank you for coming and thank you for helping with the promotion of the ‘pretesting’ sessions for FCE and CAE Thank you Cambridge ESOL for the slides and materials Outline:

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An introduction to the updated FCE and CAE exams

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  1. An introduction to the updated FCE and CAE exams from December 2008

  2. FCE – CAE ‘New format’ 2008 • Thank you for coming and thank you for helping with the promotion of the ‘pretesting’ sessions for FCE and CAE • Thank you Cambridge ESOL for the slides and materials • Outline: • Why ‘New Format’ and not ‘New Exam’ or ‘’Different Exam’? • Overall aims of the ‘new format’ • FCE and CAE in detail • General observations (re: Pretesting experiences) • Slides on Lacunzanet for your information • Copies of 2008 Handbooks and photocopies Cambridge checklists

  3. Aims of the revised format • to ensure exams are up-to-date • to ensure good practice in assessment • to reflect changes in methodology • to ensure that customer requirements continue to be met successfully and exams continue to be relevant • to incorporate future changes in technology

  4. At a glance: FCE Same number of papers – 4 hours not 5

  5. FCE in detail

  6. FCE Paper 1 Reading

  7. Paper 1 ReadingSummary of changes • broader and closely specified test focus • 3 parts (not 4): one matching task (old Part One – headings to paragraphs) removed • 60 minutes (not 75 minutes) • Standard fixed number of questions per part • From 35 to 30 questions in total

  8. Paper 1 ReadingPart 1 • Matching sentence to text eliminated • four-option multiple choice questions • 8questions • wider range of texts – more appealing • broader range of testing focuses

  9. Paper 1 ReadingPart 1 • Which sources may texts be taken from? • What focuses are there? • Which of these are found in the questions on p.10 of the FCE Handbook?

  10. Focuses could include: Understanding; • exemplification e.g. Mr Jones gives the students the example of an elephant because … • purpose e.g. Why does the cyclist describe his last race? • tone e.g. In describing the journey, the writer sounds A worried B amused etc. • comparison e.g. In the third paragraph the writer compares her experience of diving to A rediscovering a forgotten place B making a journey into space etc

  11. Paper 1 ReadingPart 2 • gapped text: singlesentenceonly (not a paragraph) • 7 questions (8 options) • tests text structure, cohesion and coherence

  12. Paper 1 ReadingPart 3 • testing focus broadened: opinion + attitude • 15 questions

  13. FCE Paper 2 Writing

  14. Paper 2 WritingSummary of changes • 80 minutes (not 90 minutes) • new text types: email in Part 1 review in Part 2 • 2 texts for question 5 (optional)

  15. Paper 2 Writing - Part 1 • input material will be maximum 160 words • candidates to write between 120 and 150 words (not 180 words) • output text will be letter or email

  16. What stays the same • task still requires a direct response to a particular individual • candidates are expected to show awareness of audience and situation • both letter and email must be in standard English and grammatically correct sentences • assessment criteria and methods are unchanged • missing task points will still be reflected in the mark scheme

  17. Writing - Part 1 You must answer this question. Write your answer in 120–150 words in an appropriate style on the opposite page. 1 You have received an email from your English-speaking friend, Sara, who is planning to open a restaurant. Read Sara’s email and the notes you have made. Then write an email to Sara, using all your notes. Write your email. You must use grammatically correct sentences with accurate spelling and punctuation in a style appropriate for the situation.

  18. email From: Sara Martins Sent: 15th March 2006 Subject: Restaurant You remember how Alex and I have always wanted to open a restaurant – well, we’re finally going to do it! We want to serve food from different countries in our restaurant so we’re planning to travel to collect some ideas. We want to come to your country. When is the best time to come? We want to find out what people cook at home every day. What’s the best way for us to do that? We’d also like to go to some local restaurants which serve traditional food. Can you recommend one? When we open the restaurant in July, we’d like you to come. Will you be free? Reply soon Sara Say when and why Suggest… Yes, give details No, because…

  19. 1What is your initial impression? 2 Are all points covered? 3 Is the word length appropriate? 4 Is there expansion on some of the points? 5 Is the email well organised and appropriately laid out? 6 Is it in grammatically correct sentences with accurate spelling and punctuation in a style appropriate for the situation? (see rubric) 7 Would the target reader (Sara) be clearly informed?

  20. Writing paper: Part 1 - Sample Dear Sara Thanks a lot for your email. I was very happy for it. You ask me about when is the best time to come to our country. I would say march and april because there are a lot of markets and events where you can collact some ideas. The best way to find out what people cook at home is, when you stay for one week in a typical Italian family. The best restaurant here in Milan is ‘Bella Italia’. They makes the food fresh and on a typical traditional way. The restaurant is very small but also lovely. Thank you very much for your invitation but next July we booked a trip through Canada for one month. Please let me know how was your days in Milan. Love Stephanie

  21. Paper 2 WritingPart 2 • review task type added • now 2 set texts • one question specific to each set text • assessment unchanged

  22. You recently saw this notice in an English-language magazine called Theatre World. Reviews needed! Have you been to the theatre recently? If so, could you write us a review of the play you saw? Include information on the characters, costumes and story and say whether you would recommend the play to other people. The best reviews will be published next month. Write your review. Pre-testing experience

  23. Writing paper: Part 2Sample script B OSCAR WILDE: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST Last week I went to see ‘Earnest’ with my English class. The story is very complicated and funny. There is a love story of Gwendolen and Jack, who has invented an imaginery brother called ‘Earnest’. Jack says he visits Earnest whenever he wants to spend time in town. And there’s also a story between Algernon and Cicely. Algernon has an imaginary friend called ‘Bunbury’ who he says he visits whenever he need an excuse of not doing something. The other main character is lady Bracknell, Gwendolen’s mother, who is large and has a very loud voice. She has some of the best lines. There is a happy ending. The acting was really good. Everyone spoke quiet slowly so I could understand them, also because we had studied some of the scenes in class. The scenary was nice, an old English house and gardene. The costomes were really beautiful – especially the womans long dresses. Gwendolen’s dress was dark blue and lady Bracknell wore a huge hat with the feathers. I would really recomend the play to everybody. It was a great experience for me. I know you will enjoy it if you see it.

  24. FCE Paper 3 Use of English

  25. Paper 3 Use of EnglishSummary of changes • 4 parts • 45minutes (not 75 as before) • now 42 questions in total (65 before) • order of tasks has changed • maintains wide testing focus • error correction eliminated- rest unchanged • CAPITAL LETTERSPARTS 2, 3 AND 4

  26. Paper 3 Use of EnglishPart 3 (Word formation) • 10 gaps • not every line has a gap • longer text, more realistic, ‘easier’? • benefits: real-world texts

  27. S E L E C T I O N Part 3 (Page 45) For questions 25–34, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a word that fits in the gap in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0). Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS on the separate answer sheet. Example: 0 Walking holidays The Real Walkers Company offers a (0) ………… of small group walking holidays which explore some delightful hidden corners of Europe, the Americas and Australasia. There is something for everyone to enjoy on these holidays, (25) ………… of age or level of (26) …………. The brochure includes various destinations and a range of itineraries. SELECT REGARD FIT

  28. FCE Paper 4 Listening

  29. Paper 4 Listening • same length and number of questions • removal of range of task types for Parts 2 and 4 • Part 2: sentence completion task only • Part 4: three-option multiple choice only • ensure reliability by limiting changes

  30. SUMMER CAMPS Helen says that people taking part in the summer camp usually sleep in a 9 10 11 The summer camp is a chance for teenager to meet people and learn As an example of a practical activity, Helen tells us about a team which built a Part 2 (Part 4 Page 58) You will hear an interview with a woman called Helen Hunter who runs a summer camp for teenagers. For questions 9–18, complete the sentences.

  31. FCE Paper 5 Speaking

  32. Paper 5 Speaking • same format, timing, interaction patterns • same assessment criteria • Parts 2 and 3 now have written questions on the visuals sheets

  33. Why do people enjoy activities like these in their free time?

  34. Summary of new FCE format Length – 4 hours not 5 Reading • 3 parts not 4 • 60 minutes not 75 • 30 questions not 35 • Matching (summarising) sentence to text eliminated • Wider ‘focuses’ • Part 2 – complete text always using a single sentence Writing • 80 minutes not 90 • Email in Part 1 • Review in Part 2 • 2 set texts • Shorter input/output

  35. Summary of new FCE format Use of English • 45 minutes not 75 • 42 questions not 65 • Error correction exercise eliminated • CAPITAL LETTERS for parts 2, 3 and 4 Listening • Virtually the same • ‘standard’ format e.g. Part 4 A, B or C only/always Speaking • Virtually the same • Parts 2 and 3 question written on sheet with visuals

  36. CAE in detail

  37. Outcomes: CAE

  38. CAE in detail

  39. CAE Paper 1 Reading

  40. Paper 1 Reading • Same length • Part 1 now 3 themed texts with 2 multiple choice questions (4 possible answers) for each text • wider range of text types and task focus • number of questions now 34 (fixed per part) + 45 • reading texts between 550–850 words

  41. Paper 1 ReadingPart 1: testing focuses Questions may focus on detail, opinion, tone, purpose, main idea, implication, attitude, exemplification, comparison or reference Pages 11 and 12 - CAE Handbook Which of the above are being focused on in questions 1-6 ?

  42. Paper 1 ReadingPart 2 • gapped text retained (inserting paragraphs) • gaps reduced to six

  43. Paper 1 ReadingPart 3 • one text with multiple choice questions • seven four-option questions • wide range of testing focuses

  44. Paper 1 ReadingPart 4 • 15questions • text format unchanged • some questions may have more than 1 answer

  45. CAE Paper 2 Writing

  46. Paper 2 WritingSummary of changes • both input and output reduced in length in Part 1 • set texts included in Part 2 • 90 minutes (before 120)

  47. Paper 2 WritingPart 1 input • input materials a maximum of 150 words • input material continues to come from a wide range of sources • processing for candidates is more straightforward

  48. Paper 2 WritingPart 1 input • input material can come from : • articles, leaflets, notices, memos, notes, letters, emails, announcements, diaries, data from a survey, annotated texts, advertisements, questionnaires

  49. Paper 2 WritingPart 1 • possible task types : article letter report proposal • range of functions unchanged • output length between 180 and 220 words (not 250)

  50. Part 1 – page 28 Handbook You must answer this question. Write your answer in 180–220 words in an appropriate style on the opposite page. 1 Last summer you had a job with an international company that organises music festivals. Your friend Jan has written to you asking about it. Read the extract from your friend’s letter and from your diary below, and write a letter to your friend saying whether or not you would recommend the job to your friend and giving your reasons. Write your letter. You do not need to include postal addresses.

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